Just Close Your Eyes, You'll Be Alright Come Morning Light
by Rosa Blythe
Summary: A glimpse into the diary of one of the island's boldest penguins during the darkest hour.
1. Entry 1 - Seize the Day

**A/N: The calendars for November 2012 and November 2018 align, so I decided to do this. I was going to start at the beginning of the month, but I forgot. Then I was going to start at November 8th, but I forgot again. So I'm starting at November 15th, the start of Operation Blackout.**

* * *

November 15, 2012

My dearest Aria,

I never thought I would be doing this again. After how many years since I last gave up trying to keep a journal? But alas, I am here once more, attempting again. I truly do believe that this will be beneficial for me, looking at the situation we are in.

Oh Aria, the island has never been in such great danger. Last week, Gary the Gadget Guy went missing. The EPF immediately suspected kidnapping, especially since he left a concerning message about an intruder in his lab.

...you don't know what the EPF is, though, do you, Aria? It has been ages since I've last written, after all. Much has changed since we last met, since I last wrote. The PSA is gone, and all of its resources were transferred to another agency I am responsible for, the Elite Penguin Force. We've kept it secret until the beginning of last year, when _someone_ leaked it to the Club Penguin Times and I had no choice but to report about it. I have my theories about who it was, but no proof. I don't think we'll ever officially learn.

But enough of that. G went missing last week, a situation so alarming the EPF went on Red Alert. We searched everywhere for him, but found nothing...

Until today. And Aria, we are all in grave danger.

The island's number one enemy, Herbert P. Bear, has taken over. He has blocked out the sun and is stealing its light for himself. We will all freeze soon if we do not stop him. He is the one who has kidnapped G, and he is holding him in a cryogenic chamber. Anyone who breaks his rules will suffer the same fate.

That would include all EPF agents. Which definitely includes me.

I wish I had told you who I was, and not just in a letter you'll never read. I know you would have given me advice should a situation like this arise. I feel like I could use it. I am the one who must direct the island to freedom. It all comes down to me, and I...

I don't know what I'm doing.

But I have to adapt. And quickly. I need to get us to safety, I need to ensure we don't all die. But I'm so scared, because even though this is no different from my roles in the PSA and the EPF, the stakes are much higher. I'm playing a chess game, Aria, one that I cannot afford to lose. Every move I make must be carefully thought out. I must remain five moves ahead in hopes of securing the win. The Resistance sees me as the king, the one that must never be forsaken. I have to remain in hiding, so Herbert won't find me. It's just so much, and I can't, but I _can_ and I _must_ and I _will_...

But enough of that.

My agents have adapted well to the new roles they must play. Dot, the top stealth expert, has been making a wide variety of disguises for everyone to use, helping agents go into hiding. Jet Pack Guy has been scouting the island, and thanks to his efforts we have already captured some of Herbert's crab army. Rookie has been boosting the morale of the Resistance and likely has extended his efforts to the island as a whole. And then there's my top agent, Agent Étoile Bleu. She is the one I have entrusted with infiltrating Herbert's lair and shutting down his security. She is the one who will shut down the laser he has created to steal the sunlight. She is the one who will save us all.

It is my duty, as the Director of the Elite Penguin Force Resistance, to guide her to success.

She has disabled the first of five security terminals. Dot created a crab disguise for her to wear, which she's exceptionally proud of. I'm sure she can't wait to hear Herbert's reaction when he finds out what happened...

There are still several more terminals to go until we can deactivate the laser. We can stop him. We must stop him. We will stop him. No matter what it takes.

I just wish you could help us too, Aria.

All the best,

-AA


	2. Entry 2 - The World Will Know

November 16, 2012

My dearest Aria,

I don't think you realize how desperately I wished yesterday was a dream.

It would be easier on all of us if it was. We would have the freedom to work on our missions, to find G, to protect the island like we swore to do when we signed up. We still probably wouldn't have a lead, but we would at least be able to search _safely_. That's...

Yeah, that's not happening.

Étoile Bleu has shut down the second terminal, but has attracted the attention of Herbert. He doesn't know the damage we've done already, but he knows we're after him. That would have happened sooner or later, I know. I just thought, every day we wait is a day we lose. But it's now too dangerous to send her in daily. Every other day now will have to do; it will take longer, but if it means we have a higher chance at success, it will do.

I just never expected that we would be in so much danger. I mean... we do a lot of risky things in this agency, and even in the PSA prior. Étoile Bleu and Rookie have both wound up stranded in the wilderness. G has been trapped under a minecart with amnesia. Even you found yourself on Toughest Mountain with a broken flipper. It's risky, and we know it, but still... this seems even more dangerous. Likely because it is not just individual lives at risk; it's all of us, every agent, every penguin on this island at risk. If we'd managed to capture Herbert sooner, then nobody would be in danger right now-

-and I can see you shaking your head at me. "It's not your fault," you'd say. "He's clever, but you are too, even more than him. So chin up; you've got this."

I've known you so long, Aria, and knew you so well. Don't deny you would say that. And you'd be right, too. We are in danger, indeed, but we can succeed. We are resourceful. We are remarkable. We are ready. We can outsmart him and bring back the sun. We are on our way to victory.

We will win, and I know you'd be proud.

I doubt it will be long before people start noticing I have been silent on the matter - as Aunt Arctic, certainly not as the Director. I cannot risk coming forward, lest Herbert find me. Yet it _is_ suspicious, seeing as when supervillains came to power earlier this year (long story) I took charge in the fight against them. I'll likely have to break my silence soon, so nobody worries, panics, or suspects who I am.

Or I could just pull the "I'm old friends with the Director" card again. It's been years since I've done it, but it certainly could explain my silence, so long as it doesn't spread too much. Still, that may be a little too risky.

We are one third of the way to victory, Aria. We must endure until the end, and I know you would have advice to help us all do so. I carry the advice you've given me with me, and it has helped me greatly since this mess began. No matter what happened in the past, I still wish we could handle this situation together.

You would have had faith that we can win, and I must carry that faith too.

All the best,

-AA


	3. Entry 3 - The Story We Needed To Write

November 17, 2012

My dearest Aria,

I knew it wouldn't take long for someone to notice my silence. Though I must admit, I didn't expect it to be one of my agents.

You never met PH. She trained a group of puffles, helping them develop special skills that most puffles do not have. I heard about her work shortly after I created the EPF, and I just knew that she and her puffles needed to be part of the new agency. So I recruited hem; they've been an important part of the agency since. PH has lately took an active role in helping care for puffles all over the island. She's been in an awkward spot, as Herbert hates puffles and thus has two strikes agains her, and has already mentioned that she'd be on the down-low.

So _of course_ she is the first one to notice that Aunt Arctic hasn't come forward and said anything about the Blackout. Of _course_.

She stopped by my igloo earlier today to check on me. She asked if I was alright, if I was safe, if I was warm, et cetera. I'll admit, I was really confused at first. Why was she asking this? Of course I was fine; I was leading the Resistance, after all. I was nervous, of course, but all in all, I was fine. Eventually her questions got to me and I asked her what was wrong. So she told me.

"We just haven't heard from you in a while, mate. You took charge when Protobot created those supervillains, but right now, you've just been... quiet."

...don't laugh, Aria. I already told you this was going to happen. And the Protobot thing is again, a long story.

I tried to come up with some reasonable excuse. I claimed that because Herbert took the newspaper (I never told you that, did I?) I had nothing to work with, no way to spread a message of defiance and hope. Which isn't at all true, considering I snuck in a Resistance recruitment ad.

And also because PH immediately asked why I didn't make a new temporary newspaper. Because she knew I would think of that idea if that was the true reason.

I was starting to panic right about then, because she knew me a little too well for comfort in that situation. I claimed that I didn't want to risk Herbert finding the newspaper, which would endanger myself and possibly many others. And she said, because _of course_ :

"That didn't stop you when Protobot was active."

...I'm referencing Protobot a lot. Basically a robot was activated by a meteor(ite), and there was a huge good vs. evil war as Protobot inspired superpowered penguins to turn evil and war against the island. Again, long story, but that's the gist of it. Hopefully you understand our Protobot and supervillain references now.

So anyway, PH called me out for doing risky stuff when Protobot was around but not now. She had me in a corner, and I knew it. I had to get out of the corner and come up with some excuse to get people to stop worrying about me or checking in on me, so I pulled the only card I could think of.

I _told_ you I would probably have to pull the "the Director and I are old friends" card again. Turns out, I did. I told PH that we were old friends and that I didn't want to endanger them by drawing attention to myself. It's valid (more or less), and dates back to 2006, so you'd think it would work.

But no. PH didn't buy it.

"Riiiiiight," she'd drawled. "So if you're old friends, why didn't you handle the interview back in 2011?"

I had totally blanked on the fact that the Club Penguin Times needed to interview the Director back in 2011. I had scheduled it, of course (I mean, it _was_ with me, after all), but I couldn't conduct it. How can I interview myself? Besides, I'm a journalist and there are certain honesty policies we must uphold. I violate them enough as it is; I don't need to fake an interview as well. So I had passed it onto another reporter, with the claim that it was the only time the Director was free and I just so happened to have another interview at the same time with Gary.

It was at that point I I became ridiculously grateful that I have a log of my various excuses so I can remember them. Otherwise I'd never keep anything straight.

I told PH what I had told the other reporters, that I had an interview with Gary that ultimately never showed up in the newspaper. And she was silent for an agonizing few seconds, during which I prayed that she bought it (and that Gary wouldn't be _too_ mad for bringing up the nonexistent interview again).

Then she'd sighed and apologized for her interrogations, saying that she was just worried. I forgave her, and apologized for worrying her. The Blackout is stressful on all of us, after all, and nobody needs to be in such a panic.

Again. Don't laugh, Aria. This was serious.

I wrote up a brief newsletter to officially break my silence, written anonymously. As if that's going to stop people from figuring out it's me. I just need to create copies of it and send it through the underground channels, and pray Herbert never finds it.

You once told me that hope can guide us through anything. It certainly rings true now. So let us hope that we can all remain safe in these troublesome times.

All the best,

-AA


End file.
